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Driving your vehicle
If you are considering towing with your
vehicle, you should first check with your
country's Department of Motor Vehicles
to determine their legal requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for tow-
ing trailers, cars, or other types of vehi-
cles or apparatus may differ. We recom-
mend that you ask an authorized Kia
dealer.✽✽NOTICE - For Europe
573
Driving your vehicle
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to your
country’s regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the maxi-
mum allowed weight without trailer
brakes, then the trailer will also require its
own brakes as well. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Do not tap into or modify your vehicle'sbrake system. Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-ing.Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
WARNING
- Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.
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5
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It is important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
An authorized Kia dealer can assist you
in installing the wiring harness.
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transaxle,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) pay
close attention to the engine coolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does not over-heat.
If the needle of the coolant tem-perature gauge moves across thedial towards “130/H (HOT)”, pull over and stop as soon as it is safe
to do so, and allow the engine to idle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine has cooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
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When you are ready to leave after park- ing on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral
or automatic transaxle in P (Park),
apply your brakes and hold the brake
pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks. Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it is a good idea to
review these sections before you start
your trip.
Do not forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nutsand bolts should be tight.CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
in hot days or during uphill driv-ing. If the coolant gauge indicatesover-heating, switch off the air conditioner and stop the vehicle
in a safe area to cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.
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Driving your vehicle
If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if you decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
Do not do any towing with your car during its first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) in order to allow the engine to properly break in. Failure
to heed this caution may result in serious engine or transaxle damage.
When towing a trailer, we recommend that you consult an authorized Kia dealer on additional requirements such as a towing kit, etc.
Always drive your vehicle at a moderate speed (less than 100 km/h (60 mph)).
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing speed limit, whichever is lower.
The chart contains important considerations that have to do with weight:
Engine
Item
Gasoline 1.4LGasoline 1.6L MPI Gasoline 1.6L GDIDiesel 1.4L Diesel 1.6L
M/TM/TA/T M/T A/T (DCT)M/T M/T A/T
Maximum trailer
weight kg (Ibs.)
Without brakeSystem600
(1,323)600
(1,323)600
(1,323) 600
(1,323) 600
(1,323)650
(1,433) 650
(1,433) 650
(1,433)
With brake System
1,200
(2,646)1,300
(2,866)1200
(2,646) 1,400
(3,086) 1,300
(2,866)1,500
(3,307) 1,500
(3,307) 1,300
(2,866)
Maximum permissible static
vertical load on the coupling device kg (Ibs.)
60
(132)60
(132)60
(132) 60
(132) 60
(132)75
(165) 75
(165) 75
(165)
Recommended distance from rear wheel center to coupling point mm (inch)
5 Door : 859 (33.8)
Wagon : 1,055 (41.54)
For Europe
M/T : Manual transaxle
A/T : Automatic transaxle
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Weight of the trailer
What is the maximum safe weight of a
trailer? It should never weigh more than
the maximum trailer weight with trailer
brakes. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
often your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.
Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total gross vehicle weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. This weight
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you will tow a trailer, you must addthe tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will also be carrying that
weight. The trailer tongue should weigh a maxi-
mum of 10% of the total loaded trailer
weight, within the limits of the maximum
permissible trailer tongue load. After
you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trail-
er and then the tongue, separately, to
see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to correct them
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
C190E02JM
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle Weight
C190E01JM
Tongue Load Total Trailer Weight
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Driving your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
With increasing altitude the engine per-
formance decreases. From 1.000 m
above sea level and for every 1.000 m
thereafter 10% of vehicle/trailer weight
(trailer weighter + gross vehicle weight)must be deducted.WARNING - Trailer
Never load a trailer with more weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be loaded
with approximately 60% of the
total trailer load; the rear should
be loaded with approximately40% of the total trailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or trail-
er towing equipment. Improper
loading can result in damage to
your vehicle and/or personal
injury. Check weights and loading
at a commercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped withscales.
An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle control.
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What to do in an emergency
2
6
ROAD WARNING
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehi-cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Press the flasher switch with the ignition
switch in any position. The flasher switch
is located in the center facia switch
panel. All turn signal lights will flash
simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
The turn signals do not work when the hazard flasher is on.
The hazard warning flasher should always be on while the vehicle is being
towed.
OJD042089
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